Color Assistant

confidential; United States; Hybrid; USD 44,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Picture Shop is seeking a skilled Color Assistant to support our finishing team across swing shifts in Los Angeles. The role spans multiple projects, including theatrical releases, and requires collaboration with colorists, editorial, and operations to keep the post-production pipeline flowing.

Work will be flexible in location, with days spent in Burbank or Hollywood based on project needs. The candidate should have 2+ years in color/editorial support, strong color workflow knowledge, and

Qualifications

• 2+ years in a post-production color or editorial support role.
• Strong understanding of color workflows and deliverables.
• Familiarity with color spaces, LUTs, and color-managed pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Set up and organize projects for color sessions and manage media assets.
• Verify color accuracy, flag incorrect color spaces, and QC outputs.
• Prepare color suites ahead of sessions and ensure playback performance.
• Render final graded content and fix issues per feedback from colorists.
• Route signals, calibrate monitors, and log technical issues.
• Support theatrical finishing including DCI specs and EDR workflows.
• Collaborate across teams to maintain efficient color-to-edit workflows.
• Capture hero stills and provide clear handoff notes at shift end.
• Perform light color work and assist with VFX integration.

Skills

Color workflows

Editorial support

Communication

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

BA/BS preferred

Tools

DaVinci Resolve

Baselight

Avid

Final Cut Pro

Job description

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions**):

We are looking for a skilled Color Assistant to support our finishing team on the swing shift. This role is critical to ensuring a seamless workflow between colorists, editorial, and operations during afternoon and evening hours, including theatrical finishing sessions. Unlike an apprentice role tied to a single colorist, this position serves the entire color team, assisting across multiple projects—including theatrical releases—and ensuring that work moves efficiently through the post-production pipeline.

This is a flexible-location role—some days will be spent in Burbank, others in Hollywood, based on project needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Project preparation & media management Set up and organize projects for color sessions. Ingest, conform, and manage media, ensuring all assets are ready before grading sessions. Track and apply editorial updates as they come in.
• Perform color tracing across timelines and projects to verify accuracy, and flag any assets delivered in an incorrect color space for correction with production.
• Prepare color suites ahead of scheduled session start (typically 15+ minutes prior) and verify project integrity and playback performance before client arrival.
• Rendering & quality control (QC/QA) Render final graded content and review outputs against the colorist’s timeline for accuracy and consistency. Check for technical or visual errors, ensuring deliverables meet quality standards. Set up fixes for any issues flagged in QC, as coordinated by production or the client. Label and organize all rendered elements according to project naming conventions. Alert production immediately if delivery timelines or cutoffs are at risk.
• Technical setup & support Route video signals and set up calibrated monitors for accurate color reproduction. Ensure all technical systems are functioning properly before color sessions. Report machine downtime or technical issues to production and engineering immediately, logging tickets through Freshdesk as needed. Liaise with engineering when technical troubleshooting is needed.
• Theatrical finishing support Support theatrical finishing sessions with working knowledge of DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) specifications and theatrical EDR (Extended Dynamic Range) workflows. Assist with shooting and calibrating theatres using CR (colorimeter) and/or PR (photometer/spectroradiometer) probes. Help prepare and QC theatrical deliverables, including DCP-related color and technical checks. Support sessions with high-end filmmakers and director clients, maintaining a professional, detail-oriented presence in the theater and on the client-facing side of the workflow.
• Collaboration & workflow management Collaborate with the workflow department and imaging science team to determine proper color pipelines for each project. Work with clients as needed to ensure workflow paths align with final deliverable requirements. Protect and prepare final assets for studio archives to ensure long-term preservation. Work closely with online editors, operations, deliverables, and producers to ensure a smooth workflow from edit to color and back. Send out streaming session invites and coordinate with clients as needed. Monitor and maintain workflow efficiency to avoid bottlenecks. Log completed tasks accurately and submit them promptly to support billing and project tracking.
• Session handoff & communication Capture and maintain hero stills across timelines. Provide clear handoff notes to the incoming shift and production team for any ongoing projects at the end of each shift. Keep production informed of prep status, session progress, and any issues that could impact sessions, schedules, or deliveries.
• Light color work & VFX integration Perform basic color correction when checking VFX drop-ins, color tracing, and QC fixes. Ensure VFX elements are properly integrated within the final color timeline.

Required Skills:

• 2+ years of experience in a post- production color or editorial support role.
• Strong understanding of color workflows, video formats, and deliverables.
• Knowledge of color spaces, color-managed workflows, and LUT/CDL application is a must.
• Knowledge of DCI specifications and theatrical EDR mastering workflows.
• Experience shooting theaters with CR and/or PR probes for theatrical calibration and QC.
• Comfortable working with high-end filmmaker clients in a theatrical finishing environment.
• Experience with color grading software (e.g., DaVinci Resolve, Baselight, or similar).
• Familiarity with editorial workflows and conforming techniques, including offline editing and file-based workflows.
• Basic knowledge of HDR and Dolby Vision workflows.
• Knowledge of digital capture cameras and camera files.
• Familiarity with mobile storage devices and formats.
• Avid and/or Final Cut Pro experience a plus.
• Experience with a task-based or work-order system.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with an ability to teach and support others.

Preferred Skills:

• Must be flexible with scheduling based on production deadlines, including theatrical delivery timelines.
• Must be able to work occasional overtime, weekends, and variable shifts as needed.

Qualifications:

• Education: High School education or equivalent required.
• BA/BS in applicable field preferred.

Picture Shop is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

Location(s):

• Los Angeles, CA, USA

Compensation:

$32 to $36 hourly